ArtsEd Resources

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Notes from the Backpack Podcast

Join PTA For Your Child


Become an Arts Advocate

PTA believes all students deserve the opportunity to take part in the arts, both in school and in the community. The arts can positively affect entire school culture—especially student motivation, attitudes, and attendance—which encourages students to stay in school, succeed in school, succeed in work and succeed in life!

Help PTA ensure that every child has access to-and takes part in-high quality arts learning experiences. Use the tools below to grow family and community engagement for arts education at your school.

ArtsEd: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Speak Up for Diversity in the Arts

 

National PTA believes that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) enhances and deepens the impact of the arts in our communities. By supporting diversity in the arts and diverse artists, your PTA can educate and connect your community members while showcasing your PTA’s commitment to representing everyone in the PTA family.

Here are a few ways your PTA can begin furthering diversity in the arts in your community:

  • Celebrate diversity in the arts using our Diversity Arts Celebration Guide to offer students positive reinforcement for participation in arts programs, while also fostering inclusivity.

  • Take a diversity in the National PTA arts pledge to highlight your PTA's commitment to expanding diversity in your arts programming. You can also customize this version (en español).


  • Use best practices to welcome diverse perspectives into your arts programming and ensure your efforts are representative of everyone in your PTA.
  • Continue your learning around DEI with National PTA's DEI resources and learn how you can build a more diverse and inclusive PTA to enhance your arts programming.  

Elevate Diverse Student Voices 

 

National PTA believes that the arts are a great platform for our children and youth to elevate their voice. The 2020-2021 Reflections theme, I Matter Because…, reaffirmed this as it took on new meaning and allowed National PTA to connect with the thoughts and feelings of many of our Black and Brown children.

And so, we invited Reflections artists of color and their allies to share artwork that expresses and affirms their beliefs and identities—as well as the importance of Black lives. Check out some of the amazing pieces we received in this highlight video.




ArtsEd: What Can PTAs Do?

Assess, Develop and Advocate

 

Get started by using our ArtsEd Leader's Guide to assess the health of the arts programs, practices and policies at your school and how well families are engaged in arts education. Identify areas for improvement and develop a sustainable action plan to build or further develop arts education in your community. Ask yourself these critical questions to ensure that your arts programming is rooted in the Four 'I's for Transformative Family Engagement.

Using a PTA Position Statement and Resolution, your PTA can show support for arts education in your community or state.

For additional tools, templates and resources to support your PTA's arts advocacy efforts, check out this Advocacy Toolkit provided by Arts Are Education.


Host In-Person Arts Education Programming

 

Creative Career Fairs invite families to learn about how artistic literacy translates into college and career readiness. Learn how using the PTA Creative Career Fair Guide.

National PTA Reflections programs spark creativity and celebrate participation and achievement in the arts. Learn more at PTA.org/Reflections/StartYourProgram.

The School of Excellence program can support PTAs in strengthening family-school partnerships that support arts education. See how Schools of Excellence gained national recognition by using the program to expand arts programming in there school community here. Learn more at PTA.org/Excellence.  


Support Creating Art At-Home

 

Check out these At Home activities you can do with the whole family. Share these with your school community to inspire them to create! Encourage families to share their creations with us using #PTAReflections.

Celebrate the Arts Throughout the Year

 

Commit to celebrating the arts all year round by participating in National Arts in Education Week and National Arts and Humanities Month!  

Share your PTA's support for arts education. Use #PTAReflections on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and share your #PTAProud story with us. Explore One Voice blogs and Our Children Magazine articles about arts education. 




ArtsEd: Grant Opportunity


Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant

For over 50 years, the National PTA Reflections arts program has furthered the goals of the program founder, Mary Lou Anderson. Mary Lou Anderson believed in the power and importance of the arts and dreamed that Reflections would leave a lasting impact on children across the country – and it has! Reflections has helped millions of students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life. To learn more about Mary Lou Anderson and the impact of her vision, visit our Reflections timeline.

Grant Opportunity Now Open! 

National PTA is proud to continue Mary Lou Anderson's legacy of Reflections through the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant. Through this grant opportunity, two local PTAs will be awarded $1,250 to administer innovative, student-centered programs that increase access to high quality arts learning experiences and new pathways for students to participate in National PTA’s Reflections program.

This program is for all grades and ages. In order to be eligible for the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement grant, your PTA must:

  • Participate or have participated in the 2023-2024 Reflections program "I am Hopeful Because..."
  • Use the funding to provide new pathways for at-risk and underserved students to participate in innovative and student-centered arts education experiences, including the Reflections program.

Fall 2023 Program grant opportunities will run from Aug. 29 – Oct. 4. Learn more and apply at PTA.org/Grants.



ArtsEd: Partner Resources

National Program Supporters

 
Arts Education Partnership (AEP) helps PTA to advance arts education and lead the way to student success with current research and policy insights. Make your case for arts education with the help of ArtsEdSearch, a research and policy database providing summaries on academic, cognitive, personal, social and civic outcomes for students of arts education.

Americans for the Arts envisions a country where everyone has access to-and takes part in-high quality and lifelong learning experiences in the arts, both in school and in the community. Learn about new ways to support the arts during National Arts in Education Week and National Arts and Humanities Month. Find connections and partnerships in the Arts Education Field Guide. Browse these Arts Matter: State Fact Sheets to learn more about art policy in your state and grow your confidence as a PTA ArtsEd Leader.

Regional and State Level Arts Education Resources

 
Our national program supporters offer access to regional and state level arts education experts.





REFLECTIONS HOME

Encourage and celebrate student participation in arts education.


START YOUR PROGRAM

Find tools to run your Local PTA's Reflections program.


AWARDS

Learn about our winners, events and exhibits and see what you can win!